Elevator for stranding cabler



April 17, 1962 c. H. CROSBY ETAL ELEVATOR FOR STRANDING CABLER 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1959 y E h 5N5 .L z mwmmm .k T WWW; m m 4 vTH, T M 9 LHD .n T H J gum Z u w| i: "Pal. a m m mm i w j i: .A. x :1: 9J M k l? 2 1 g4; 5} I wfl k 25; min Li 5 f l .l. I: M Ma ww f l :1 5 i jApril 17, 1962 Filed May 4, 1959 C. H. CROSBY ETAL ELEVATOR FORSTRANDING CABLER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 RQLU/JHLJ E'QE' E K bl fl TEAM/5AApril 17, 1962 c. H. CROSBY ETAL ELEVATOR FOR STRANDING CABLER 6Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 4, 1959 IN VEN U S E; H. URUEIEA/ 51 1:7 ZLIE/7N HKE wqHL-B 5 2/ TUQNEJ A ril 17, 1962 c. H. CROSBY ETAL ELEVATORFOR STRANDING CABLER 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 4, 1959 5 E Em; TSEKE JNmum/H Fmwm 4m L m/ Emm April 1962 c. H. CROSBY ETAL 3,029,959

' ELEVATOR FOR STRANDING CABLER Filed May 4, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 5glwga 5 United States Patent Ofitice 3,029,959 Patented Apr- 17, 1 6

parry, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May4, 1959, Ser. No. 810,620 12 Claims. (Cl. 214-164) This inventionrelates to reel transporting apparatus particularly for supply stands ofcable stranders.

In cable stranders or stranding cablers, numerous supply reels must beprovided and located conveniently for the single or pairs of wiresthereon to be advanced longitudinally in groups and formed into cablesor cable units. Rows of supporting units for groups of the reels aremounted in supply stands. In some instances, there are upper and lowerrows of mounting units in the supply stands and conveyors to movepallets supporting reels in one direction to transport full reels to thenumerous mounting units in each row and in a reverse direction to movethe pallets with empty reels away from the mounting units. I

The operations of loading full reels onto the conveyors for movement totheir mounting units and removing the empty reels released from theconveyors, consume a considerable part of the overall time required forconditioning the strander or stranding cabler for operation.

The object of the present invention is an eilicient and speedly operableapparatus for transporting articles, particularly reels for supplystands.

In accordance with the object, the invention comprises a platformdisposed adjacent one end of a supply stand having upper and lower rowsof supporting units and conveyors operable in reverse directions to movethe reels on pallets relative thereto. Suitable means is provided forsupporting the platform for vertical movement from a normal position toeither upper or lower positions adiacent the upper and lower conveyors,and means is selectively operable through predetermined cycles by theclosing of series of circuits to move the platform for use in loading orunloading the conveyors.

The control circuits are conditioned through selectors to perform anyone of 12 operations which are performed automatically after pressing astart switch. In the present instance, there are two upper and two lowerconveyors moving relative to their respective parallel groups of 27aligned reel mounting units. Therefore, through the two selectors, fourseparate operations may be arranged to load the respective conveyorssingly; four additional operations may be arranged to unload the fourconveyors individually. Two additional arrangements of circuits areprovided to load both upper or both lower and two final arrangements ofcircuits are provided to unload both upper or both lower. All of theseseries of circuits are arranged through the selectors to condition aseries of circuits which begin functioning with the closing of a startswitch.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the apparatus mounted at an end ofa supply stand;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view taken substantially along the line 2-2of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the platform and an adjacentconveyor during a loading operation;

FIG. 5 is a similar to FIG. 4 illustrating an unloading operation;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a'holding means of the apparatusduring unloading of the reels and pallets;

FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram of the various circuits;'

FIG. 8 is a chart of the various switches and electrical units of thecircuits and the descriptions thereof; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of the apparatus and the locations ofcertain of the control and operating means of the circuits.

The apparatus includes a platform '60 which is of suffi-cient width toservice conveyor units of a supply stand 61. In the present instance,there is an upper lift conveyor means 64, an upper right conveyor means65, a lower lift conveyor means 66, and a lower right conveyor means 67.The platform has guide bushings 68 which are disposed concentric withvertically positioned guide rods 69 and are slidable thereon duringmovement vertically from the normal position, shown in FIG. 1, toregistration with the upper conveyor units 6465 or the lower conveyorunits 66-67.

' The rods 69 have their ends fixed in an upper bracket 79 and a lowerbracket 71 mounted at the end of the supply stand 61. By viewing FIG. 3,it will be noted that pairs of roller units 72 are mounted on theplatform. between pairs of guides 73 to support pallets 75 on whichreels 76 are mounted. The guides 73 assure alignment" of the palletswith their respective conveyor units when the platform 69 is moved intogeneral alignment therewith. Suitable means, not shown, such as aconveyor mounted in general alignment with the platform 60 when at itsnormal position, may be utilized in feeding full reels on their palletsonto the platform and for readily receiving empty reels with theirpallets from the platform. The roller unit 72 are mounted in a planewhich is at a slight angle with respect to the conveyor units 64 to 67,inclusive, for purposes utilized in loading and particularly unloadingthe pallets 75 with their reels 76. These angular positions are actuallyexaggerated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The purpose of the angular positions inunloading serving to cause the pallets 75 and their reels 76 to movefreely by gravity down the roller units to become located completelyupon the platform after leaving a driven belt 78 of its respectiveconveyor. As illustrated schematically in FIGS. 4 and 5, the conveyors64 to 67, inclusive, include pairs of rollers 79 for actually supportingthe pallets 75 and their reels 76 and a belt-like conveyor 7 8 movingbetween the pairs of rollers '79 to actually propel or move the palletsin one direction or another, depending upon the direction of rotation ofa drive shaft 80 for the drive roller 81. At this point, attention isdirected to the schematic illustration of some of the 27 mounting units82 for each conveyor unit 64 to 67, inclusive.

The mounting units 82, in the present instance, are of the truncatedcone-shaped center type operable in pairs, positioned on opposite sidesof each conveyor 78 so that each pair will interengage the hubs of thereel 76 aligned therewith, and hold them free for rotation relative totheir pallets during the removal of the strands or wires therefrom. Thepairs of mounting units 82 are also actuable into open position to freethe empty reels and to allow them to be lowered onto their pallets forremoval from the supply stand. The means for moving the pallets withtheir reels from the platform 61) onto the conveyor units 64 to 67,inclusive, includes vertical pins 84 supported by holders 85 and movablebetween their pairs of roller units 72 in parallel slots 86 in theplatform 60. The holders 85 have projections 87 extending throughelongate openings 88 in lever arms 89. The lever arms 89 are mounted onstationary pivots or spindles 90 supported by the under-sur- 3 face ofthe platform 60, while the inner ends of the lever arms have notches 91therein.

The notches 91 straddle pins 92 mounted on a block 93 which is securedto a piston rod 94 of an air cylinder 95. The air cylinder 95 is fixedto the undersurface of the platform 60 and is supplied with air underpressure through an air line 96 under the control of valves, not shown,but identified as LPE and LPR in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9. For the purpose ofclearness, the lever arms 89 and their connection with the pins 84 andthe block 93 of the piston rod 94 are shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3.The broken line positions nearest the air cylinder 95, illustrate thearms in their normal positions, while the other broken line positionsillustrate the arms at the end of their operating strokes.

The platform 60 is connected at 98 to a piston rod 99 of a piston 100disposed in an air cylinder A. The air cylinder A is fixed by suitablemeans 101 to an air cylinder B which has a piston 102 therein. A pistonrod 103 of the piston 102 extends vertically and has its upper end fixedto a bracket 104 supported by the supply stand 61.

Suitable controls are provided for the apparatus including pressuremeans 107 for air under pressure for the cylinders A and B, andasolenoid operable check valve AVS' for the main supply of air. In FIG.9, upper and lower piston extend and piston retract valves APE and APRfor the cylinder A and; the piston retract and piston extend valves BPRand BPE for the cylinder B are illustrated schematically. Also in FIG.9, left elevator limit and right elevator limit switches LELS and RELSare. mounted near the left and right sidesof the platform to be actuatedby empty reels and their pallets moving onto the platform from theirrespective. conveyors.

Upper and lower limit switches for the platform are shown schematicallyin FIG. 9 and identified respectively as PULS and PLL S. The upper leftand right conveyors of the supply stand have lead switches positioned tobe actuated by pallets with reels thereon when moved from the; platformonto their respective conveyors. Only one of these switches is shown inFIG. 9 but they are identified respectviely as ULL and URL. Similarswitches are provided' for the left and right conveyor units of the two.lower portions of the supply stand; these switches identified:respectively as LLL and LRL.

The lower left load switch LLL and the lower right load switch LRLfunction as the. upper left load switch ULL andthe upper right loadswitch LRL to close their respective circuits when loaded pallets havebeen moved from the platform onto their respective conveyors. There arealso reel. stops, as shown in detail in FIG. 6 but shown schematicallyin FIG. 9, for stopping the leading pallets moving off the conveyorsuntil the platform is ready to receive them. These are actually definedas upper left reel stop ULRS, upper right reel stop URRS, lower leftreel stop LLRS and' lower right reel stop LRRS. The reel stops areidentical in structure and mounted beneath the paths of the pallets atconvenient locations between the conveyor 78, in each instance, and therollers 79, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The term stop" applies to the entire unit indicated at 108 andincluding, in each instance, a latch 109 movable vertically in a guide110 to enter a groove 111 in the pallet 75to engage a shoulder 112 andstop the pallet with its reels 76 until the platform is ready to receiveit. The latch 109is connected at 114 to one arm of a bell-crank lever115 which is pivotally mounted at 116 and has its other arm connected at117 to a core 118 of a solenoid 119. The solenoid 119 has its core 118normally held outwardly by a spring 120 to hold the latch 109 in itsupward position. The solenoid winding, in each of the four instances, isshown in FIG. 7. The identifying letters ULRS upper left reel stop, URRSupper right reel step, are shown near the top of FIG. 7 and LLRS lowerleft reel stop and LRRS lower right reel stop, are shown at the bottomof FIG. 7'.

A switch shown at 122 in FIG. 6 normally held in its up position toclose its top contacts, in each instance, by a spring 123 has a roller124- positioned to be engaged by each pallet leaving the platform androlling onto its conveyor to move the switch 122 to engage its bottomcontacts. The switch 122, in each instance, is identified near thecenter of FIG. 7 and also in FIG. 9 as the upper left limit ULL, upperright limit URL, lower left limit LLL, and lower right limit LRL.

The various features of the electro-pneumatic controls for theapparatus, identified by single or groups of letters, are defined morefully in FIG. 8.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the various switches and electrical units ofthe numerous series of controls are identified as completely as possibleusing numbers 1 and 2 to identify the main circuit lines from a voltalternating current, 60 cycle, supply. Also, numbers 3 to 53 are used toidentify lines for the various circuits so that they may be tracedreadily and the various features identified through the aid of the chartin FIG. 8 and the schematic illustration in FIG. 9.

With the circuit arrangement of FIG. 7, there are two selectors housedschematically in the dotted areas 126 and 127. The selector 126 is notshown in detail but it has three positions wherein it may close threegroups of switches to limit the controls or the selected series ofcircuits to the right side, the left side, or both sides of the supplystand. For the right side, the group of switches are indentified asSSRSI to SSRSS, inclusive. For the left side, the group of switches areidentified as SSLSI to SSLSS, inclusive. For both sides, the group ofswitches are identified as SSBSI to $3856, inclusive. The selector 127has four groups of switches respectively for limiting the controls orthe selected series of circuits to loading of upper conveyors, unloadingof upper conveyors, loading of lower conveyors, or unloading of lowerconveyors. The first group of switches for loading upper conveyors areidentified as SSLU1 to SSLU6, inclusive The second group for unloadinguppcr conveyors is identified as SSUUI to SSUUS, inclusive. The thirdgroup of switches for loading lower conveyors is identified as SSLLI toSSLL6, inclusive, while the fourth group for unloading lower conveyorsis identified as SSULZ to SSULS, inclusive.

Operation Through the arrangement of the circuits, 1?. selected seriesof operating cycles can be carried out by setting the selector 126 tocontrol the service of the platform for the right side or the left side,or for both sides, and then by setting the selector 127 to load upper,to unload upper, to load lower, or to unload lower. To condition theapparatus for operation, the On switch is pressed closed to complete acircuit from line 1 through line 3, windings MPG and AVS, as well as thelight L, through lines 4, closed On, 5, closed Off, 6, 7, and 8 to line2. The relay winding MPS closes its contacts, one to complete line 1,and one to electrically complete a by-pass for the On switch. The lightL is illuminated to indicate that the apparatus is ready for operationand the winding AVS opens the air valve solenoid check valve as shown inFIG. 9. The apparatus is for any of the 12 series of operating cycleswhich may be carried out by positioning of the selectors 126 and 127,and pressing the start switch.

Load Both Sides Upper Closes switches $81351 to SSBS6, inclusive, ofselector switch 126. Close switches SSLU1 to SSLU6, inclusive, ofselector switch 127. Press Start switch, closing circuit from line 1through 13, Start switch, BPR, 17, SSLU1, 18 to line 2. Energization ofBPR causes cylinder B to rise on fixed piston 102 to move platform upuntil platform upper limit switch PULS is closed, positioning platform60 adjacent upper conveyor units 64 and 65. Closing of PULS energizesLPR in a circuit from line 1 through 19, PULS, 2t), 23, 24, 26,unoperated ULL, 29, unoperated URL 3i, unoperated LLL, 34, unoperatedLRL, 39, LPR, 40 SSLU4 to line 2.

The pallets, with their reels, which previously have been loaded on theplatform at the normal position, are moved off of the platform by loadpiston 9i95' FIG. 3 (Ll- R) retracted and onto their respective upperconveyors where they will engage and operate both switches ULL and URLto close their bottom contacts. These switches, when operated to closetheir bottom contacts, jointly complete two circuits one being tracedfrom line 1 through 53333, 35, 39, bottom contacts of ULL, 32, SSLUZ,SSLUS, 33, lower contacts of URL, S5354, 41, BPE, 42, SSLUS to line 2.Energization of BPE causes cylinder B to move down on its fixed pistonto move the platform to its normal position. At the same time, theaction of the air cylinder 95 is reversed to move the arms 89 and thepins 84 to normal positions. This is accomplished by energization of LPEin a second circuit connected to the last described circuit adjacent BPEand extending through LPE and SSLU6 to line 2.

Unload Both Lower In this instance, the group of switches $8881 toSSBS6, inclusive, of selector 1% and the group of switches SSULl toSSULS, inclusive, of selector 127 are closed. Again all that is neededto start the series of operations, to carry through a complete cycle ofmoving the platform down, receiving the empty reels and their palletsfrom both lower conveyors and returning the platform to its normalposition, is the pressing of the Start switch. This closes a circuitfrom line 1, through 13, Start switch, 14, APE, 15, SSULl, 16 to line 2.

Energization of AFB causes piston of cylinder A to move down untilplatform 6%) is aligned with the lower conveyor units 66 and s7 andcloses PLLS. Operation of PLLS closes circuit to energize lower timedelay interlock LTDl and lower time delay relay LTDR. LTDi is in acircuit from line 1 through 25, PLLS closed, 26, 2 d, 27, SSULZ to line2.

LTDR is in substantially the same circuit located between lines 26 and27. When LTDI and LTDR operate their contacts closed, circuits arecompleted through lower left reel stop solenoid LLRS and lower rightreel stop solenoid LRRS, respectively, from line 1 through SSBSS, 50,LLRS, 5i, and from line 1 85386, 53, and LRRS, both circuits joiningline 52 in which closed contacts of LTDI and LTDR are disposed and on toline 2.

When reels and their pallets are released, by retraction of the latches1&9, FIG. 6, through energization of solenoid windings LLRS and LRRS,they are urged by the conveyors 78 to roll onto the platform and when onthe platform, to operate switches LELS and RELS. The left elevator limitswitch LELS and the right elevator limit switch RELS when closed,complete a circuit from the secondary winding of the transformer, shownnear the bottom of FIG. 7, through 48 and winding of load relay LR,closing contact in line 45. This completes a circuit from line 1 throughSSUIA, 45, close contact of LR, APR, 44, SSUL3 to line 2. The piston 10!of the cylinder A moves the platform up to its normal position.

T 0 Load Lower Right Side In this instance, the selector 126 is adjustedto close the group of switches SSRS1 to SSRSS, inclusive, and theselector 127 is adjusted to close the group of switches SSLLl to SSLL6,inclusive. Here again, the Start switch is pressed and the series ofcircuits are closed in their respective order, to lower the platform, tofeed a pallet with its reel thereon to the right conveyor, and to returnthe platform and feeding means to their normal positions. When the Startswitch is closed, a circuit is completed from line '1 through line 13,Start switch, 14, APE, 15, SSLLl to line 2. Energization of APE extendspiston of cylinder A down until platform aligns with conveyor units 66and 67 and operates PLLS. Operation of PLLS closed energizes LPR in acircuit from line 1 through 25, closed PLLS, unoperated ULL, 29,unoperated URL, 31, unoperated LLL, 34, unoperated LRL, 39, LPR, 40,SSLL4 to line 2. When LPR is energized, the air cylinder 95, FIG. 3,receives air under pressure to cause retraction of the piston therein tocause the right pinto push the pallet and its reel oif the platform andonto the conveyor unit 67 where it will operate lower right limit switchLRL to its bottom contacts. Movement of LRL from its top contacts to itsbottom contacts by the pallet fed onto the conveyor 67, opens theprevious of the first half cycle circuits and closes the second halfcycle circuits. The circuit closed to retract piston 10a in cylinder Ais traced from line 1 through SSRS2, 37, operated LRL, 38, SSLL3, 54,SSRSS, APR, 44, SSLL6 to line 2. The circuit to extend the piston ofcylinder to return the transfer pins 84 to their normal positionsincludes most of the last named circuit, making connection at SSRS3 andcontinuing through LPE, 43, and SSLLS to line 2. The last two circuitscause the reel transfer means of the platform to return to their normalposition as the platform returns to its normal position.

Other Operations The apparatus will carry out 12 different operatingcycles. The two joined cylinders A and B assist each other in moving theplatform 60. The platform 60 is connected directly to the piston rod 99of the cylinder A but, while the cylinder A remains unoperated duringoperation of the cylinder B, the cylinder A must be relied upon tofollow the cylinder B to move the platform. In a similar manner, thecylinders A and B with the plat form are supported by the piston rod 166and cylinder A, when operated, will depend on cylinder B.

There are six loading operations and Six unloading operations. Theloading operations include loading (1) upper left, (2) upper right, (3)lower left, (4) lower right, singly, (5) both upper, and (6) both lower.The unloading operations include unloading (1) upper left, (2) upperright, (3) lower left, (4) lower right, singly, and unloading the (5)upper conveyors simultaneously and the (6) lower conveyorssimultaneously. The apparatus may be conditioned for any of these seriesof operating cycles by setting the selectors 126 and 127. After this hasbeen done for each operating cycle, the series of circuits areconditioned for automatic operation by pressing the start switch.

Three of the series of operating cycles have been de scribed in detail.It is believed, through the aid of FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 in particular, thatthe other nine series of operations may be followed by following theinstructions, that is, by setting the selector 1% to correspond with theproper side of the supply stand which is to be serviced or for bothsides, if desired, and then setting the selector 127 depending uponwhether the upper conveyors or lower conveyors are to be loaded orunloaded.

Following these actions, operation of the Start switch will start andcarry out the first half cycles of all of the operations. The other halfcycles of the operations, including the return of the platform to itsnormal position and the return of the reel transporting means to itsnormal position, if it has been actuated, rely on other switches. Forexample, during loading operations, the switches ULL or URL for theupper conveyor units and LLL or LRL for the lower conveyor units, mustfunction singly or in pairs depending upon the series of circuits to beoperated by the pallet with its reel transferred from the platform ontoits respective conveyor. Until this occurs in each instance during anyone of the six loading operations, the return cycle for the selectedseries of circuits will not begin. However, once the switch (shown inFIG. 6 as 122) has been operated or a pair of these switches have beenoperated, the return cycle begins by closing of certain circuits toreturn the platform and the reel transporting means to their normalpositions.

In a similar manner, the unloading operations are performed, carryingout the first half cycle in each instance after selecting the desiredgroups of switches of the selectors 126 and 127 to position the platformto receive a pallet and its reel. At this time, the one or more latches108 of FIG. 6, identified in FIG. 9 as ULRS, URRS, LLRS, and LRRS, arereleased to free the one or pair of pallets to move onto the platform.Here again, switches LELS or RELS must be actuated by the pallet orpallets moving onto the platform with their reels before the second halfcycle of the selected series of circuits may begin to return theplatform to its normal position.

Another series of switches identified at 55, 56, 57, S8, and 59 jointogether for simultaneous action, are normally open but may be closedmanually during setting up of the apparatus to return the platform toits normal position.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention.Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled inthe art which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A reel transporting apparatus in combination with a horizontallypositioned elongated supply stand for reels having groups of upper andlower pairs of reel mounting units disposed in parallel horizontal rowsthroughout the major portion of the length of the supply stand and upperand lower groups of substantially horizontal conveyors operable inreverse directions singly and extending substantially the full length ofthe supply stand to transport reels on pallets relative to theirrespective rows of pairs of mounting units, the apparatus comprising aplatform disposed outside the supply stand and normally positioned outof alignment with the groups of upper and lower conveyors adjacent oneend of the supply stand and having a width sufiicient to service bothupper and lower groups of conveyors when moved into registrationtherewith at selected intervals, vertical guides mounted externally ofthe supply stand for the platform, means selectively operable throughpredetermined cycles to move the platform upwardly and downwardly fromthe normal position to register with either group of upper or lowerconveyors and return to the normal position, and series of circuitsselectively closed to cause operation of said means automaticallythrough any of the cycles.

2. A reel transporting apparatus according to claim 1 in which a firstcircuit of one of the series of circuits when closed causes movement ofthe platform adjacent to the group of conveyors, transfer elements,electrically operable means carried by the platform to move the transferelements simultaneously toward the conveyors to transfer reels and theirpallets from the platform onto their respective adjacent conveyors, anda switch actuated to close another circuit of said series when theplatform reaches the group of conveyors and cause electrical operationof the transfer element moving means to transfer all of the reels andtheir pallets from the platform to all of their adjacent conveyorssimultaneously.

3. A reel transporting apparatus according to claim 2 in which switchesare mounted near the adjacent conveyors and are actuated closed by thepallets of the reels moved thereon from the platform to jointly causeoperation of the transfer elements to their normal positions and causethe platform moving means to return the platform to its normal position.

4. The reel transporting apparatus according to claim 1 in which meansholds the platform at its normal position and includes two fluidoperable cylinders having pistons and piston rods, means securing thecylinders to each other, means securing one of the piston rods to theplatform, stationary means supporting the other piston rod and itspiston, and means operating the cylinders singly while relying on thecooperation of the unoperatcd cylinder to remain unoperated duringmovement of the platform between the normal position and positionsadjacent its respective groups of conveyors.

5. The reel transporting apparatus according to claim 1 in which limitswitches are closed by the platform when moved to a position adjacentits respective groups of conveyors.

6. The reel transporting apparatus according to claim 5 in which thereare operable push bars carried by the platform, the limit switches beingunder the control of certain of the groups of selectively operatedswitches to close a second circuit of a selected series to operate thepush bars from a normal position to push a pallet and reel off theplatform and onto its conveyor.

7. The reel transporting apparatus according to claim 6 in which anotherswitch is operated into closed position by the pallet and reel whenmoved onto the conveyor to assist the certain groups of selectivelyoperated switches to close the final circuits to operate the holdingmeans to return the platform to its normal position.

8. The reel transporting apparatus according to claim 5 in which thelimit switches are under the control of certain of the groups ofselectively operated switches to close another circuit including asolenoid, and a latch normally positioned to hold a pallet and reel onits conveyor and moved free of the pallet by energization of thesolenoid for movement of the pallet and reel onto the platform.

9. The reel transporting apparatus according to claim 8 in which anotherswitch on the platform is closed by the pallet and its reel moving ontothe platform to operate the holding means to return the platform to itsnormal position.

10. The reel transporting apparatus according to claim 7 in whichanother switch is operated into closed position by the pallet and reelwhen moved onto the conveyor to assist the certain groups of selectivelyoperated switches to close the final circuits to cause operation of theholding means and the transporting means simultaneously into theirnormal positions.

11. The reel transporting apparatus according to claim 1 in which afirst circuit of one of the series of circuits when closed causesmovement of the platform to one of the groups of conveyors, a latch foreach conveyor mounted to normally hold leading pallets from leavingtheir conveyors, a solenoid for each latch and operatively connectedthereto to release its latch from a pallet when energized, and a switchclosed by the platform reaching the said group of conveyors to causeencrgization of certain of the solenoids to release certain of thepallets for movement onto the platform.

12. A reel transporting apparatus according to claim 11 in which anumber of switches are mounted on the platform in the path of thepallets moving thereon from the conveyors and closed by the pallets tocause operation of the platform moving means to return the platform toits normal position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,492,178 Nicholas Apr. 29, 1924 1,949,964 Keller et a1. Mar. 6, 19341,955,959 Hainischfeger Apr. 24, 1934 2,332,005 Nystrom et al Oct. 19,1943 2,451,754 Larmuth et a1. Oct. 19, 1948 2,655,115 Holdeman et al.Oct. 13, 1953 2,659,192 Ripley Nov. 17, 1953 2,663,446 Romain Dec. 22,1953 2,696,921 Desjardins Dec. 14, 1954 2,705,570 Maissian Apr. 5, 1955

